I can play bits and pieces from the "Live from Oz" CD...only bits and pieces hehe

Adam

08-06-2003, 01:30 PM

and dog boots with singles...for the most part...I usually burn out before half way through the song though

peter

08-06-2003, 01:42 PM

0.

Adam

08-06-2003, 01:44 PM

I guess to answer the question properly:

.764 of a song

v1rotate

08-06-2003, 04:12 PM

Slaves and Fat Pig Jig from the "Loose Change" album, thats about as good as I get and even then it's all over the place!!!:(

Milo Porto

08-06-2003, 04:36 PM

Originally posted by v1rotate
Slaves and Fat Pig Jig from the "Loose Change" album, thats about as good as I get and even then it's all over the place!!!:(

not bad kev...not bad..me ..er i can play all but none of any virgil's songs.....:D i wouldnt consider only being able to play 1/4 or even 1/2 a song being able to play the song......but at least its a start...:D :D :D :D virgil is too gooooog...but hey nothing is impossible right?:rolleyes:

jonberg

08-08-2003, 10:00 AM

I think that you can learn play almost every song that Virgil plays. The thing is just that it wonīt be the same approach or thing, I have transcribed and worked on practically everything that he plays and I have learned lots of things from it, thatīs the reason I try "copy" someone...to learn things from drummers like Virgil, Vinnie, Weckl and so on...
...on VERY important aspect of this is that you gotta put some of yourself into this too !!! How would YOU played if the drumchair was yours!!!? In some songs, I would have done things different than Virgil etc...but thatīs a matter of your own musical taste and identity.
To answer the question I have played and practised on: Dog Boots, Alien Hip-hop, Interlude in Milan, Ground Zero, Ataraxia, Midnight bell, IPI, the OTV stuff and so on...

alencore

08-08-2003, 10:40 AM

wow, it's like when i was wood shedding really hard playing note for note [or so i think] of this song titled, Tom Sawyer.

kirk

08-08-2003, 12:27 PM

I think the reality is that unless we have developed the extreme physical abilities and control that Virgil has we are not going to play Virgil's tunes exactly the way he does. Every stroke with every accent, every intricate phrase, every combo, it is not going to happen unless we put in the years and years of disciplined practice, but until then as Jon said do the best we can and put our ownself into the song, or honestly we will be pulling out hair out thinking we right now must be on that level right now.

Did anyone read Simon Phillips comments from a recent Modern Drummer where he was asked how he practices, how he inspires himself to get better what he uses as motivation. He said well I try to listen to guy's who are pushing the limits, and of course the guy he mentions is Virgil. He say's I watch Virgil play certain things and I say that is an amazing Interdependence groove, etc. that he is playing and he says it inspires him to sit down and try to play it and glean something from it and that is when he realizes that Virgil is even MADDER! than he already knew he was. He says for even himself "Simon Phillips" he would have to work his tail off to play what Virgil plays JUST like Virgil does, the reality, do the best we can and keep on working hard and make sure we have and keep and create our own identity as we learn from others. Have big motivations and goals but for myself I have to be releastic at the same time and not beat myself up for not being Virgil or Vinnie, they are them and worked for years to become them and we are in the process.

Kirk

peter

08-08-2003, 12:31 PM

Wise words, Kirk.

That's why you're the Captain. :D

Like "Simon Says" you try and do a little
something of Virgil... and that's because
too much Virgil might be dangerous! :cool:

kirk

08-08-2003, 01:24 PM

Yes Peter,A little Virgil goes along WWWWAAAAAAYYYYYY"SSSSSS. Just like good wine, it might be good but watch how much you take in, cus it can knock you on your behind easier than you think;) take it easy, and you are one fortunate man seeing the VIRG up and close, enjoy!

Regards Kirk

rythmtroll

08-08-2003, 06:44 PM

ALL OF THEM

rythmtroll

08-08-2003, 06:45 PM

I AM A RYTHMTROLL, DONT YOU KNOW

frank

08-09-2003, 02:22 AM

I can play a few virg tunes, but not exactly the way he plays them.. Pyramids on Mars, Ignotus per Ignotium, 70 VIR, The Noble Savage, and a few more PX tunes.. the problem is my twinpedal is broken so I can't practice any double bass songs.. :/

Jonberg, can you actually play Ground Zero, Ataraxia and Alien Hip-Hop?? Alien Hip-Hop including those strange snare accents??
The main pattern of Ground Zero could be practiced I guess, but I'm just too lazy to put so much effort in it.. It would be so much work to learn that stuff, but then I'd have to learn when the snare drums fall, and the weird hihat syncopates... freakin crazy!!

jonberg

08-10-2003, 02:04 AM

I have practised a lot!! on those techniques on those songs...
...especially on Alien Hip-Hop and Ground Zero.
I guess that if you just understand the rythms and patterns, itīs not so difficult to learn it, itīs just mechanics and with regular practise, you soon will get it.
What I have done with ground zero is that I learned exactly what Virg plays and try to play to it...the first part with snare and hihat pattern I have tried to come up with own ideas and improvise, but itīs hard to improvise on that 5/8 pattern!!! And the 7/8 pattern over 5/8 was hard to get but I practised and recorded myself and eventually I got it.
What I admire about Virgil the most is that he doesnīt satisfy with ONE way of playing a pattern. In some of his open drum solos you can him playing the same 5/8 pattern but with righthand/leftfoot leading...AND improvise!!!! Thatīs discipline!!

On Alien Hip Hop itīs just a pattern (16/8 Virgil once explained) that goes around in a 4/4 groove...I just took my time to get it down and those snareaccents are backbeats inside the 16/8 groove and when you hear that itīs not so hard actually...
...and the part in the end with sextuplets broken between bassdrum and snare is just the same thing.

What I recommend is playing from Marco Minnemans book "extreme interdependence"...much that Virgil is developing now is based on that concepts in the book.

Iīm in for the paradiddle right now, leading between RH/LF, RF/LF, LF/LH and improvise and grooving with it...

We can all transcribe and "copy" what someone else has done, but remember that "someone" has come up with these ideas (just as Virg with these songs) and thatīs genius I think.

DavidPartay

08-10-2003, 03:17 AM

I can play Pyramids on Mars
I'm working on Ignotus per Ignotum.
I can play Chocolate (I think... hehe)
I tried to play Ataraxia once, went "BLEEEEEAARGGGHWWWWWW" and stopped trying.

Ataraxic

08-12-2003, 05:12 PM

I can play Ataraxia pretty well. I worked on it for a good few weeks though. :rolleyes:

v1rotate

08-14-2003, 12:39 AM

A very important thing that I learnt from hearing Virgil play live with Southern Sons was playing straight. We all know that Virg is a GOD when it comes to solos, technique etc... but the more I hear him play straight the more I learn about fills....

Some muso's in Melbourne used to say that Virg overplayed especially in some of the Jazz gigs (trios and quartets), but hey, we go there to see the guys shred on the instruments not play a boring uninspired gig that sound like a reception band playing the standards.